Lead in lipstick 'not a health risk'

An e-mail claiming that top lipstick brands contain an unsafe amount of lead is alarmist and misleading, according to the Malta Standards Authority.

"Daily lead exposure from the environment is much higher than any possible trace in lipsticks, which poses absolutely no health risk," Martin Seychell, head of the MSA's directorate of foodstuffs, chemicals and cosmetics, said.

Mr Seychell was reacting to an e-mail that has been in circulation for months, warning women that their lipstick was no longer safe, including those of top-notch brands.

The e-mail, which was being first circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Centre, lists nine brands - Christian Dior, Lancôme, Clinique, YSL, Estée Lauder, Shiseido, Red Earth, Chanel and Market America-Motnes - that it claims contain lead.

It warns that the lipstick in question has longer staying power because of a higher lead content, a claim that Mr Seychell said is completely untrue.

The e-mail suggests a test to determine the lead content in the lipstick: dab some lipstick on your hand and then pass a gold ring over it; if the lipstick colour changes to black then you know the lipstick contains lead.

But before you panic and bin your expensive lipstick, think again. Mr Seychell said there was no need for concern.

He said that first and foremost the cosmetic industry underwent strict rigorous testing before a product was launched and such e-mails could be intended to sabotage a company.

He explained that the European Commission had a working group on cosmetic products made up of representatives from member states, including Malta. This group met at least six times a year to keep abreast of the ever-changing world of cosmetic products and any emerging problems.

"This is very significant market, even in Malta. The estimated volume in 2002 was calculated at about Lm30 million a year. It is a very important sector for Europe because it is a world leader in this industry," he added.

"The EU directive on cosmetic products is one that has struck the perfect balance between maintaining health and competitiveness. Though it is strict and demanding it is flexible enough to allow healthy competition."

The Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC) aims to guarantee the safety of cosmetic products for human use.

One of the topics broached during a recent meeting of the working group was the allegation that decorative cosmetics such as lipsticks contained lead. Mr Seychell made it clear that lead was prohibited in products and could not be added intentionally.

"What was found, following laboratory tests in Europe, were very small traces in a number of brands. These were not of a level that posed a risk to human health," he said.

The pigments in lipsticks are obtained from natural sources such as minerals, so it was impossible to avoid traces of lead. The directive does in fact say that there may be technically unavoidable traces as a result of this process.

The working group has decided that the traces of lead in lipstick were so low there was no need for concern. There was an ongoing discussion within the industry, however, to continue its good manufacturing practice and eliminate as much as was technically possible any traces of lead.

"Cosmetic companies have no interest to hide any negative information because their competitors will surely find it out. This industry is very image-oriented and it cannot afford negative publicity. Any product will be withdrawn at the slightest suspicion," Mr Seychell said.

"These rumours only play upon the public's prejudice against the industry that it could be possibly hiding something in an attempt to make a fast buck," he said.

"These companies spend millions in research and each product is subjected to rigorous testing. Apart from that, the European Commission is very vigilant and all e-mails are taken seriously and looked into. This time there is no cause for alarm."